A leading electrical company has confirmed two senior Dundee City Council employees involved in a corporate fraud investigation attended a golf trip to the Spanish coast arranged by the firm.
Edmundson Electrical said the local authority’s head of Construction Services Mark Ross and colleague Kenny Muir both attended the “customer event” but insisted the pair “covered their own expenses”.
An investigation by The Courier established Mr Ross and Mr Muir were both named by a whistleblower over concerns relating to the subcontracting of a lucrative council heat and smoke alarm contract to Edmundson.
Mr Ross quit in the midst of the probe due to ill health. Mr Muir was suspended after his details were handed to investigators by the whistleblower.
A third individual was allowed to resign in September after being accused of selling council-owned smoke alarms online and it is understood a number of other employees have since been the subject of inquiries.
Roger Drinkwater, head of corporate compliance for Edmundson Electrical, said neither Mr Ross or Mr Muir were “responsible for negotiating the supply arrangements with us”.
Mr Drinkwater said council employees attending the trip “covered their own expenses and, in so far as we are aware, attended the event in their own time”.
He said: “The event, which was attended by several other customers of the business, was arranged well in advance of the scheduled date.
“Two of the original participants were unable to attend as planned and the attendees to which you have referred stepped in to fill the vacant spaces.”
Dundee City Council refused to turn over its gift and hospitality register which lists items given to employees by private firms and also refused to comment on claims a staff member has quit after investigators probed work emails.
Labour councillor Michael Marra warned there is an “urgent need for transparency” over the investigation due to mounting public concern.
He said: “No briefing has been arranged for all elected members. We do not know whether the issue has been handed to the police.
“Audit Scotland should now be taking an active interest in both the incident and the process that is underway. Public confidence in the council is vital. The longer this goes on the more damage is caused.”
Dundee City Council has previously stated the £8.3 million heat and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors project was awarded to its Construction Services department and then subcontracted to Edmundson without ever going out to tender.
Mr Drinkwater said Edmundson had “to date received orders to a fraction of the value” and “continue to provide an exemplary competitive service to the council’s nominated contractor”.
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “The council does not comment on individual personnel matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.”
Mark Ross and Kenny Muir declined to comment.
